


It still felt empty inside

by random_writer21



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Atem is mentioned, Gen, Honda plays a minor role, Hurt/Comfort, Sugoroku is awesome, Yuugi needs a hug, and he gets the hugs, post dsod
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-06
Updated: 2018-09-06
Packaged: 2019-07-07 20:42:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15915870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/random_writer21/pseuds/random_writer21
Summary: The boost of energy Atem gave him to finish the duel is wearing off. His body is aching. His mind is aching. His heart is aching.And he really wants to go home.Or: Atem leaves again and Yugi isn't as okay as it seems.





	It still felt empty inside

The night is cold and Yugi can feel it in his very bones. The boost of energy Atem gave him to finish the duel is wearing off. His body is aching. His mind is aching. His heart is aching.  
And he really wants to go home. 

"Honda-kun,” he calls his friend. “Can you take me home? Please?”

Honda gives him a look that’s akin to understating, but not quite. Yugi doesn’t think anyone will understand. 

"Of course, Yugi. Come now.” He says quietly. The two say goodbye to their friends and head out. Yugi keeps his head low to avoid anyone.

They get on the motorcycle, helmets on their heads. Yugi wraps his arms around Honda tighter that it’s strictly necessary, but Honda doesn’t mind. Yugi rests his head on his friend's back and stares with blurry eyes at the lights rushing around him. 

Honda parks in front of the game shop and watches as Yugi takes off his helmet. 

"Hey, Yugi,” he stands up as well. “Come here,” he murmurs and pulls his friend into his arms. 

"It’s okay..” Honda fluffs Yugi's hair that’s been flattened by the helmet. He hugs tighter when he feels his shorter friend shaking. 

"If you need anything, call us. We'll come to you. And if you need to be alone tonight, we understand. We'll be here first thing tomorrow morning.” 

Yugi pulls back and nods, unable to say a word. Honda ruffles his hair one more time and watches him go inside the shop. He lets a breath out and prays for his friend.

....

Once inside the shop, Yugi's shoulders drop. He drags his feet to the living room. His grandpa is there. He probably knows what happened. 

He's proven right when grandpa looks up at him with those all too knowing eyes. Yugi walks the short distance to the couch and lays down, putting his head in the older man's lap. He shudders when grandpa starts running his fingers in his wild hair. 

“You saw?” Yugi asks, unnecessarily. 

“I did. You were great,” grandpa says. “but this isn’t why you’re upset?” 

Yugi shakes his head.

“He came back, didn’t he?” there’s no need to specify who’s ‘he’.

A hitched breath and a soft yes are all what grandpa needs to know. He helps Yugi sit up on the couch and pulls his boy close to him. He can see the beginnings of bruises peaking through the hem of the shirt and anger shoots through him. He saw the way his grandson was thrown around in all three duels. 

But now isn’t the time for anger. Not when Yugi is shaking in his arms and tears are soaking his cheeks. 

Grandpa sways a little, a useless gesture to calm his boy down. He doesn’t say anything. There’s not much to be said in these situations. And it’s a whole other level of pain because he can’t even bring even a little comfort to the boy with words.

“We didn’t even say a word..” Yugi whispers. “He took over at the end, but it wasn’t the same. I..” his voice breaks painfully. Tears fall down faster. 

“He just.. He knew what to do. Our bond was no more.” Grandpa pulls him closer, if that’s even possible. “It still felt empty inside.”  
The confession feels like a stab in the heart. Tears spring in the old man’s eyes and burn their way down his face. 

No one should feel this type of pain, least of all the innocent youth in his arms. 

“I thought he was really gone. But he came back..” Yugi continues and buries his head deep in his grandfather's shoulder. 

"I didn’t call for him, he came on his own.. why didn’t he come before if it’s so easy to him?” his voice shakes with how much it hurts.

“I don’t know.. I don’t know..” Grandpa says and pain flares in his chest because he can’t even give him the comfort of an answer.  
Neither say a thing for a while. Silent tears on both of their faces speak loudly enough. 

Grandpa pulls back after a while and looks the boy over. He’s holding his body in a way that keeps pressure of his bruises, everything about him screams pain. 

He forces himself to smile gently. He places both hands on Yugi’s face and wipes his stained cheeks with his thumps. Then he leans forward and kisses his forehead. 

Yugi closes his eyes and sighs. 

"Let me get something for the bruises. We'll both retreat to bed afterwards. Sounds okay?” grandpa asks. He leaves the idea of eating out, because if he knows his grandson, and he does know him well, he'll just throw up anything he eats now. 

Yugi nods and lays on the couch, waiting. He listens to his grandpa’s footsteps as they flutter from one room to the other.  
When he finally comes back, grandpa has a small tray. It holds a glass of water, some ibuprofen, and ice. 

"Sit up and take your shirt off. Those bruises might be nasty,” grandpa says shortly. 

The bruises aren’t as bad as thought they might be. They’re more focused on his shoulders area and it’s quite red there. Those will probably bloom more than the others. So he presses the ice pack there.

Yugi hisses softly at the coldness, but his shoulders relax a bit. He takes two pills from the ibuprofen and swallows them dry. He drinks some water after his grandpa pinches his arm. 

"Alright then,” grandpa pulls the melted ice back after a while. “Go change your clothes. Shower if you feel like it.” 

Yugi skips the shower because he isn’t entirely sure he could stand up that long. He wears some sweatpants and the warmest hoodie he can find in his closet. It’s slightly large on him and the sleeves are a little too long that his hands hide in them. He pulls his hair into a ponytail and goes down stairs.

Grandpa has changed into his sleepwear as well. So Yugi walks to the couch and lays down again, head on his grandpa’s thigh. He really doesn’t want to stay in his room alone. Grandpa seems to understand without saying a word.

"It was a long day. Sleep well,” he whispers as if afraid to break the delicate silence in the room. He plays with a few stray strands of blonde bangs and twirls them around his fingers.  
Yugi sighs. The throb in his heart is still there, but more of a dull ache now. He closes his eyes and thanks his lucky stars for his grandpa.

They don't say ‘I love you’ before sleep claims them. They both already know.

**Author's Note:**

> I watched dark side of dimensions recently and the ending kinda stood out. This thing wrote itself XD hope you enjoyed this little fic!


End file.
